The invention relates to a concrete block, particularly for a paved surface, laid in a compound manner in the region of a gas station or the like
Known blocks of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 775,791) are constructed as gutters, which have a ramp profiling and the useful surface of which changes over from an upper surface region, by way of a central oblique region, into a lower surface region in the form of a liquid-guiding gutter, so that the latter, in the installed position of the gutter, takes up a surface liquid, entering from the adjoining areas, such as an adjoining roadway, paved surface or the like. Such gutter blocks are intended to be installed only in a position, in which they are essentially parallel to the roadway and are placed, for example, at the edges of the roadway or the like. Moreover, when subjected to stresses transversely to the laying direction, the blocks, in the upper surface region with the ramp profile, form an obstacle, so that these blocks tend to break off unintentionally and, with that, the liquid-guiding gutter is not suitable for liquid-tight systems. Furthermore, there are point-like contacting and resting regions on such gutter blocks, so that the block can be shifted out of its installed position by tilting moments and the long-term stability and joint tightness, even to an adjacent useful surface, are disadvantageously affected.
It is an object of the invention to provide a concrete block having a ramp profile shape which offers improved protection to side edge regions against overloading and enables surface forces to be absorbed largely without a tilting moment and with which, when the block placed in a compound paved surface, provides reliable imperviousness against seepage in the region of sealed joints 23 which are filled with a sealant, and the block being further provided with a liquid-guiding gutter, which brings about reliable drainage of the surface.
The concrete block of the present invention has in a region of ramp profile with elevations, forming apical surface regions, and with profile radii, which adjoin these regions, the concrete block, constructed pursuant to the invention, has a support surface, which acts in an installed position as roll profiling for vehicles. In an upper region of side surfaces of the block, this roll profiling is combined with surface depressions, which provide edge protection, in such a manner, that the concrete block, in the position in which it is laid, offers edge regions, which are positioned optimally with respect to loads such that vehicles can drive over the support surface in any rolling direction.
In a construction as double ramp block, the concrete block has an upper apical surface region, starting from which roll profiling extends symmetrically to a central longitudinal plane up to the surface depressions at the edge, so that the block, with these radial shapes integrated into the support surface, as a whole, offers no sharp-edged transition zones whatsoever in the region of its surface and can absorb even horizontally acting shear forces, for example, of street-sweeping machines, snow plows, braking stresses or the like, with little resistance or distribute the forces over large supporting surface areas in such a manner that, with impact-free rolling characteristics, damage to the block is avoided.
In a construction as gutter block, the latter forms a central liquid-guiding gutter between adjacent lower surface depressions. In addition, a groove-shaped, longitudinally directed collecting gutter can be formed in such a manner in this central liquid-guiding gutter that, even when the gutter blocks, which are arranged in rows in the installed position, are shifted slightly, liquid entering the gutter blocks is guided into the collecting gutter in such a manner, that backup of liquid is avoided and, with that, an unintentional distribution of surface water or similar liquids, for example, by vehicles rolling over the gutter block in the longitudinal or transverse direction, is avoided. The liquid-guiding gutters, with the integrated collecting gutters, are advantageously disposed in such a manner in the position, in which the blocks are arranged in rows that, particularly in the area of gas station passageways or the like, on traffic areas, which are to be protected against unintentional seepage, even small amounts of surface water and other contaminations are guided on an advantageously short and, through the collecting gutter, rapidly effective flow path to a drainage part, where they can be disposed of without contaminating the soil. The surrounding paved surface is drained rapidly without sites of residual liquid, so that a useable driving surface is formed, which is not dangerous even under rough operating conditions and can be driven over in any direction, longitudinally and transversely, even in the region of the gutter blocks.
Further details and advantages of the invention arise out of the following description and the drawings, which illustrate several examples of the inventive concrete blocks.